1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical retractors for opening and holding open a surgical incision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of retractors have heretofore been developed for opening and holding open surgical incisions or the like to allow a surgeon ready access therethrough. A common type of such retractors consist merely of a rake-like member having a first end provided with a downturned portion for being inserted into a surgical incision and having a second end provided with a handle portion for allowing the user of such a device to manually pull the retractor to spread open the surgical incision. Typically, such a retractor is used in conjunction with a plurality of like retractors and requires a number of assistants to manually open and hold open the surgical incision. One embodiment of this type retractor is disclosed in the Sindelar et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,075 and referred to in said patent by the numeral "40". The Sindelar et al patent discloses an anchor apparatus which allows such retractors to be fixedly anchored after they have been pulled to spread open the surgical incision thereby doing away with the need for assistants to hold open the surgical incision once it has been spread open.
Gauthier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,890, discloses another type retractor which consists of a frame having a plurality of substantially opposed flesh engaging members movably attached thereto. In this type retractor, the frame is positioned adjacent the surgical incision and the flesh engaging members are positioned so as to engage the surgical incision and are manually and individually moved to spread open the surgical incision. The Gauthier retractor is provided with means to lock the flesh engaging members to the frame in the spread apart position.
None of the above retractors disclose, teach or suggest the present invention.